Showing posts with label Employees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Employees. Show all posts
5/9/13
7 Employees You Should Fire Now
It's a crazy competitive world out there--you can't afford to have employees who aren't cutting it.
Some months ago, Apple and Microsoft each parted ways with a high-profile senior executives: iOS software chief Scott Forstall and Windows president Steven Sinofsky.
The moves were just weeks apart and the stories were strangely similar: two remarkably effective and talented executives who were simply unmanageable. They were so chronically abrasive and divisive that they were more trouble than they were worth.
Of course there's more than one side to every story. And while we may not be privy to all the specifics, one thing's for sure. Those decisions were some of the toughest ones the CEOs ever had to make. After all, talent like that doesn't grow on trees. Nevertheless, it had to be done. They had to go.
It takes all kinds to run a company but a few bad apples can definitely spoil organizational effectiveness in a hurry. And these days, companies just can't afford to keep those kinds of people around. The longer you wait, the more damage they do.
Over the years I've worked with just about every type of employee you can think of and, in my experience, there are more or less seven kinds of people you simply have to get rid of, no ifs ands or buts, and sooner rather than later.
1. They're a Troublemaker. With all of our issues and dysfunctions, I sometimes wonder how anything gets done at all. Still, we manage the best we can. And when employees create more problems than they're worth, when the damage they do to the organization weighs more heavily than their achievements, then it's time to cut them loose.
2. They Overpromise and Underdeliver. Some people have such overly inflated self-images that they either think they can do anything or crave the attention they get by making big boastful promises. But when their egos consistently write checks their capabilities can't cash, that's a real problem that's not likely to be resolvable without a good shrink.
3. They Act Out With Customers. I don't care if you have a small business or work at a Fortune 500 company, customers are hard to gain and easy to lose. The one thing you don't need is an employee who works with customers and somehow doesn't get that business is about winning and keeping customers, not him and his bad attitude.
4. They Can't or Won't Do the Job. You hire and pay people to do a job. Your job is to be clear about what that entails and give them the tools and training they need to get the job done. Their job is then to do it. If they either can't or won't after a few chances, then you've probably given them one chance too many.
5. They Flake. Some people look the part but, when push comes to shove, you can't count on them to get the job done or even to show up on a regular basis. Whatever the specifics, you can never tell when they're going to flake and you just can't trust them. Life is too short to have employees like that.
6. They're Entitled. Some people are more thin-skinned, litigious, and entitled than they have any right to be. Half their mind is on the job and the other half is just waiting for someone to slip up so they can whine and complain and maybe even threaten litigation. Don't give in to that kind of behavior. Cut them loose. They might throw a fit and you might get sued, but they can only do it once, and then you're rid of them for good.
7. They Ignore Conduct. Whatever the rules of conduct are for your company and its culture, you've got to uphold them fairly and consistently across the board. Whether an employee was insubordinate to her boss or a top executive lies about something material on his resume, if it happened and it breaks the rules, you should walk them out the door.
People are always complaining about how stressful their job is but, in my experience, there's nothing more stressful than having to deal with employees who aren't cutting it and drag down the whole organization. Quit thinking about it and just get rid of them. You'll sleep better at night--and so will the rest of your team.
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/7-employees-you-should-fire-now.html
5/4/13
7 Reasons Why You're Not Getting Promoted
1. You Lack the Skills Necessary to do the Job
“Julie is very efficient and effective in the completion of her daily tasks. The position she was hoping to get, however, requires strong analytical skills she doesn’t have.”
One of the most common misconceptions employees have about promotion decisions is that they’re based solely on performance in their current role. While that’s certainly a consideration, success in one area doesn’t always translate to success in another. For instance, someone who excels at data entry may need additional education or training to become a data analyst, a job that requires strategic thinking and problem solving abilities.
The secret to getting ahead? Become familiar with the requirements of the job you want, and determine what skills you need to improve upon if you’re going to succeed in it. Then, talk to your boss. Let her know you’re interested in moving up, and ask for her advice on how to get there.
2. You Lack the Soft Skills Necessary to do the Job
“Pam is extremely accomplished, technically. Before we can promote her, though, we’d like for her to spend some time developing her leadership and teamwork skills.”
Here’s something else The Powers That Be (TPTB) don’t tell you up front: These skills aren’t always technical. Particularly if you’re moving up to management, you’ll need to have mastered some soft skills—like conflict negotiation, diplomacy, and business communication—and coming up short might very well be a deal breaker.
Develop the soft skills you’ll need to succeed in the job you want, then highlight them through your involvement in programs that are important (and visible) to TBTP. Perhaps you can become an informal mentor to a newer employee, or volunteer to lead a presentation or training. Whichever method you choose, you’ll be signaling to your boss that you’re ready for management.
3. You Don’t Take Feedback
“I’ve really tried to develop Mary, to get her ready for a promotion. But she gets very defensive when I give her constructive feedback. I feel like she spends more time trying to prove me wrong than she does trying to improve.”
I doubt there is a woman among us that hasn’t struggled to keep her composure when receiving “constructive” criticism. But remember—feedback is not always a bad thing. Is it possible that your boss has some valid points? She’s telling you how to improve your performance—and this is good information to have when you’re gunning for a promotion.
When you receive feedback, whether in your review or in the hallway, resist the urge to defend yourself. Try to take it in and see what you can learn from it, instead.
4. You Lack Professionalism
“What frustrates me more than anything else is employees who are consistently negative about the company. What they don’t understand is, the things they say—they get back to us. Why would we promote anyone who behaves like that?”
It’s not unreasonable to expect that, as you move up the career ladder, you’ll begin to conduct yourself more professionally—and not just when the boss is looking. This came up several times in different contexts—from an inability to maintain confidentiality to participation in office gossip—and was identified by executives as the most difficult challenge for employees to overcome.
This may seem obvious, but how you behave in the company of co-workers is just as important, if not more so, as how you behave around management. For example, you can and should identify problems within your department and company, but you should not pontificate about those problems in the break room—which gives the impression that you’re looking for an audience, instead of a solution.
5. You Don’t Take Initiative
“Jennifer is quick to recognize areas that could use improvement, but we can’t get her to go beyond lodging the complaint. We’d really like to see her take the initiative to come up with solutions, not just expect everything to be fixed by management.”
Becoming a problem solver shows that you care—not only about your own career, but about the long-term health of the business as well. Don’t just document the problems you see, analyze the issues and find ways to get involved in developing the solutions. Collaborating with others to create positive change will identify you as a leader in your organization. Remember, anyone can drop a complaint into the suggestion box.
6. You Think Like an Employee—Not a Manager
“Craig is good at his job, but it seems like he’s more committed to getting on the freeway by 10 ’til than he is to the success of his department.”
Remember, TPTB are anointing future leaders here. If you’re giving them the impression you’re only showing up for a paycheck, it’s not likely that you’ll be high on their list of candidates. No, you don’t have to become a workaholic or start hanging out long past five or six just to “be seen,” but it’s a good idea to express interest in the things that happen when the meter isn’t running.
7. You Expect It
“Sean has made it clear that he expects to be promoted. The problem is, I feel like he expects to be promoted based on only his length of service. There are others on his team that are more focused on their career development, and even though they’ve not been here as long, it’s likely that they will be promoted before him.”
Lastly, recognize that in today’s environment, tenure is no longer the primary factor in promotion decisions, and is best left out of any arguments you might make on your own behalf. These days, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been there six months or six years—it’s all about your contribution.
Being passed over for a promotion doesn’t need to be the end of the world. In fact, it can be a huge learning opportunity—and sometimes, it can also be just the kick in the pants you need to get you started down the right path. So take these lessons, learn from the past, and keep that promotion in your sights.
http://www.businessinsider.com/7-reasons-why-youre-not-getting-promoted-2013-5
4/17/13
Neurotic Introverts Are the Best Team Players
They might have social anxiety, but they contribute more to group projects than the office extroverts.
Social anxiety. Emotional volatility. Withdrawal.
These may not be the characteristics you typically associate with effective employees, but new research from UCLA suggests that neurotic people are actually more valuable on team projects than the flashy extroverts.
What’s this mean for managers? You’re probably under-using the introverted, neurotic staff members, when you should, in fact, be maximizing their potential on group projects.
The researchers conducted two separate studies--one that surveyed MBA students' behavior and another that noted employee behavior towards the two personality types.
The findings? Qualities that make extroverts seem like strong workers, such as their assertiveness and dominance, raise team members’ expectations of them.
Extroverts in the study were also more likely to be poor listeners and indifferent to input from other team members. Ultimately, over the 10-week period, this tension caused extroverts to disappoint their groups and underwhelm their peers’ expectations.
Rising to the occasion were the neurotic group members. Neurotics’ personalities are the kind that get highly engaged with tasks, researchers said, leaving them to gain status among the group members by surpassing their low expectations.
http://www.inc.com/sonya-chudgar/neurotic-introverts-are-your-top-team-members.html
Social anxiety. Emotional volatility. Withdrawal.
These may not be the characteristics you typically associate with effective employees, but new research from UCLA suggests that neurotic people are actually more valuable on team projects than the flashy extroverts.
What’s this mean for managers? You’re probably under-using the introverted, neurotic staff members, when you should, in fact, be maximizing their potential on group projects.
The researchers conducted two separate studies--one that surveyed MBA students' behavior and another that noted employee behavior towards the two personality types.
The findings? Qualities that make extroverts seem like strong workers, such as their assertiveness and dominance, raise team members’ expectations of them.
Extroverts in the study were also more likely to be poor listeners and indifferent to input from other team members. Ultimately, over the 10-week period, this tension caused extroverts to disappoint their groups and underwhelm their peers’ expectations.
Rising to the occasion were the neurotic group members. Neurotics’ personalities are the kind that get highly engaged with tasks, researchers said, leaving them to gain status among the group members by surpassing their low expectations.
http://www.inc.com/sonya-chudgar/neurotic-introverts-are-your-top-team-members.html
3/19/13
10 Things Really Amazing Employees Do
Here are ten traits that any great employer should recognize and reward instantly.
As a longtime employer of dozens, I was always grateful to have good employees. It takes a lot to recruit and maintain top talent. Every once in a while special employees come along that just really seem to get it. They drive the entire company forward in ways that were unimaginable. Advancement and reward is never an issue for these rock stars because they understand the power of cause and effect, and only a worthy company can retain them and afford them.
Here are 10 things amazing employees seem to do effortlessly. Here's how to help your great employees be even more amazing.
1. Enthusiastically Learn All Aspects of Business
They understand they're part of something bigger and more worthwhile than just their job. They look to learn other areas of the business and be fluent in finance and management so they'll positively impact multiple areas of the company.
What you can do: Invest in material and seminars on business basics like accounting, marketing, and management so all employees have easy access to learn and grow.
2. Steward the Company
They treat the company as if it were theirs. They look to make prudent decisions about expenses and opportunities with the long-term future of the company in mind. They easily assess risk vs. reward, selflessly when making decisions.
What you can do: Be transparent in your business. The more you share your financials and philosophy, the easier it is for employees to make the right decisions.
3. Generate Viable Opportunities
You don't have to be in sales or marketing to help a company grow. Strong networkers from all divisions see company growth as a collective effort and constantly keep their eyes open for ways to more than pay for themselves.
What you can do: Make sure all your employees understand your value proposition and can easily identify opportunities. Then reward them openly for their efforts.
4. Resolve Issues Before They Are Issues
My favorite days running companies are when I notice positive change in procedure when I was totally unaware of the need for change. Amazing employees are always looking to improve systems proactively, and they do.
What you can do: Communicate a clear written vision of where the company is going and encourage initiative so people feel safe and empowered to make change.
5. Tell It Like It Is
Amazing employees understand that hiding bad news helps no one. They find kind ways to bring uncomfortable information to the surface, but they DO bring it to the surface. They tell people what's necessary before major damage is done.
What you can do: Foster an open communication environment where people are not only given permission to tell the truth, but also absolutely required.
6. Demonstrate High Standards, With Low Maintenance
I always feel relaxed when I can trust an employee to perform a task to the same high standards I would expect from myself. Not all can do this without constant attention or difficulty. Amazing employees quietly drive their own high standards.
What you can do: Set the example and the tone for high performance with minimal drama. Publicly reward those who can execute in the same manner.
7. Grow Themselves, and Others
They not only drive their own career but they inspire others to do the same. These employees lead by example in how to advance without creating animosity or resentment. They see and create their perfect future, and also bring others along.
What you can do: Encourage personal development and peer growth through dedicated group time and learning for career advancement.
8. Research, Apply, and Refine
No employer expects people to know everything. In this fast changing world, I choose employees who will learn over those who know. The best employee proactively explores options, takes action and then improves without direction from the top.
What you can do: Invest time in exploration and expansive thinking. Encourage people to explore deep visionary projects with time and reward for the findings.
9. Stimulate Happiness
Amazing employees aren't always sunshine and roses. They do know how to keep it real. But they understand the dynamics of people, stress, and the blend of work, life and friendship. They are self-aware and able to direct their own path that brings out their best with family, friends and career. They exude positive energy even in stressful times and share it around, making for a happier office.
What you can do: Create an environment where people can openly express themselves. Encourage them to work hard in fulfilling ways and achieve their dreams.
10. Facilitate Amazing Bosses
Amazing employees make me grow as an employer. They self-confidently get their value and help me get mine. They make me want to be worthy of working with somebody of such high caliber, without ever saying it directly of course.
What you can do: Make effort to genuinely show appreciation for any of the behaviors above so people feel their value and will grow to full potential. Then they will do the same for you.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/10-things-really-amazing-employees-do.html?nav=pop
As a longtime employer of dozens, I was always grateful to have good employees. It takes a lot to recruit and maintain top talent. Every once in a while special employees come along that just really seem to get it. They drive the entire company forward in ways that were unimaginable. Advancement and reward is never an issue for these rock stars because they understand the power of cause and effect, and only a worthy company can retain them and afford them.
Here are 10 things amazing employees seem to do effortlessly. Here's how to help your great employees be even more amazing.
1. Enthusiastically Learn All Aspects of Business
They understand they're part of something bigger and more worthwhile than just their job. They look to learn other areas of the business and be fluent in finance and management so they'll positively impact multiple areas of the company.
What you can do: Invest in material and seminars on business basics like accounting, marketing, and management so all employees have easy access to learn and grow.
2. Steward the Company
They treat the company as if it were theirs. They look to make prudent decisions about expenses and opportunities with the long-term future of the company in mind. They easily assess risk vs. reward, selflessly when making decisions.
What you can do: Be transparent in your business. The more you share your financials and philosophy, the easier it is for employees to make the right decisions.
3. Generate Viable Opportunities
You don't have to be in sales or marketing to help a company grow. Strong networkers from all divisions see company growth as a collective effort and constantly keep their eyes open for ways to more than pay for themselves.
What you can do: Make sure all your employees understand your value proposition and can easily identify opportunities. Then reward them openly for their efforts.
4. Resolve Issues Before They Are Issues
My favorite days running companies are when I notice positive change in procedure when I was totally unaware of the need for change. Amazing employees are always looking to improve systems proactively, and they do.
What you can do: Communicate a clear written vision of where the company is going and encourage initiative so people feel safe and empowered to make change.
5. Tell It Like It Is
Amazing employees understand that hiding bad news helps no one. They find kind ways to bring uncomfortable information to the surface, but they DO bring it to the surface. They tell people what's necessary before major damage is done.
What you can do: Foster an open communication environment where people are not only given permission to tell the truth, but also absolutely required.
6. Demonstrate High Standards, With Low Maintenance
I always feel relaxed when I can trust an employee to perform a task to the same high standards I would expect from myself. Not all can do this without constant attention or difficulty. Amazing employees quietly drive their own high standards.
What you can do: Set the example and the tone for high performance with minimal drama. Publicly reward those who can execute in the same manner.
7. Grow Themselves, and Others
They not only drive their own career but they inspire others to do the same. These employees lead by example in how to advance without creating animosity or resentment. They see and create their perfect future, and also bring others along.
What you can do: Encourage personal development and peer growth through dedicated group time and learning for career advancement.
8. Research, Apply, and Refine
No employer expects people to know everything. In this fast changing world, I choose employees who will learn over those who know. The best employee proactively explores options, takes action and then improves without direction from the top.
What you can do: Invest time in exploration and expansive thinking. Encourage people to explore deep visionary projects with time and reward for the findings.
9. Stimulate Happiness
Amazing employees aren't always sunshine and roses. They do know how to keep it real. But they understand the dynamics of people, stress, and the blend of work, life and friendship. They are self-aware and able to direct their own path that brings out their best with family, friends and career. They exude positive energy even in stressful times and share it around, making for a happier office.
What you can do: Create an environment where people can openly express themselves. Encourage them to work hard in fulfilling ways and achieve their dreams.
10. Facilitate Amazing Bosses
Amazing employees make me grow as an employer. They self-confidently get their value and help me get mine. They make me want to be worthy of working with somebody of such high caliber, without ever saying it directly of course.
What you can do: Make effort to genuinely show appreciation for any of the behaviors above so people feel their value and will grow to full potential. Then they will do the same for you.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/10-things-really-amazing-employees-do.html?nav=pop
3/15/13
What a 14-Year-Old Can Teach You About Management
Six business lessons an entrepreneur gleaned from her daughter's first job.
My daughter Lily is fourteen. Over the holidays, she had her her first job. She was employed as a Christmas elf in Santa's grotto at our local farm shop. She is studying business at school but she learned a lot more on the job.
So I asked what she'd learned after three weekends of solid elfing:
1. People need to know what you offer.
Her grotto was a little hidden and even I, looking for it, thought it was hard to find. She told her boss they needed a bigger sign, which they got the next weekend. Children piled in.
2. It's more fun being busy.
No matter how thrilling or dull a job, it is always more fun being busy than sitting around. If you have employees who aren't busy, find something for them to do. Down time breeds discontent.
3. Colleagues make or break the experience.
Her last day, Lily had a bad cold and didn't feel like working. I did not suggest she stay home; I just asked if she was up to it. She bridled, insisting that, however she felt, she couldn't let Ross--the Santa Claus--down. She'd instantly absorbed the fact that people in a business aren't loyal to the company but to each other.
4. It's more fun doing a great job.
Over time, my daughter got better at her job and, as she did, she said she enjoyed it more. "Now I think about ways to keep the kids entertained," she said. "They can't spend more--it's a fixed price--but it's more fun when the customers are happy."
5. Money you earn is different from the money you're given.
Receiving her first pay packet was a great moment for Lily. She's about to go on a school trip to Russia. Is she planning to spend all her earnings there? "No!" she insisted. "I'm saving that money; I earned it."
Lily's first job has been a lot more positive than mine was. I worked, at the age of 16, as a receptionist for a psychotherapist who could never explain what he wanted. He fired me after two weekends. Lily's been lucky to have a great boss and good co-workers.
Watching her also reminded me that most people do want to do a great job. If they aren't excellent, it might not be their fault.
http://www.inc.com/margaret-heffernan/management-observations-of-first-time-employee.html
My daughter Lily is fourteen. Over the holidays, she had her her first job. She was employed as a Christmas elf in Santa's grotto at our local farm shop. She is studying business at school but she learned a lot more on the job.
So I asked what she'd learned after three weekends of solid elfing:
1. People need to know what you offer.
Her grotto was a little hidden and even I, looking for it, thought it was hard to find. She told her boss they needed a bigger sign, which they got the next weekend. Children piled in.
2. It's more fun being busy.
No matter how thrilling or dull a job, it is always more fun being busy than sitting around. If you have employees who aren't busy, find something for them to do. Down time breeds discontent.
3. Colleagues make or break the experience.
Her last day, Lily had a bad cold and didn't feel like working. I did not suggest she stay home; I just asked if she was up to it. She bridled, insisting that, however she felt, she couldn't let Ross--the Santa Claus--down. She'd instantly absorbed the fact that people in a business aren't loyal to the company but to each other.
4. It's more fun doing a great job.
Over time, my daughter got better at her job and, as she did, she said she enjoyed it more. "Now I think about ways to keep the kids entertained," she said. "They can't spend more--it's a fixed price--but it's more fun when the customers are happy."
5. Money you earn is different from the money you're given.
Receiving her first pay packet was a great moment for Lily. She's about to go on a school trip to Russia. Is she planning to spend all her earnings there? "No!" she insisted. "I'm saving that money; I earned it."
Lily's first job has been a lot more positive than mine was. I worked, at the age of 16, as a receptionist for a psychotherapist who could never explain what he wanted. He fired me after two weekends. Lily's been lucky to have a great boss and good co-workers.
Watching her also reminded me that most people do want to do a great job. If they aren't excellent, it might not be their fault.
http://www.inc.com/margaret-heffernan/management-observations-of-first-time-employee.html
Want Smarter Employees? Quiz Them
The act of taking a test actually helps you learn. It's one more tool to help your employees be the best they can be.
Your teachers who used to torment you with pop quizzes and complex final exams weren't just trying to torture you. (Okay, maybe some were.) They wanted to see what you had learned, in order to know what help you needed in order to master the material. (I may be overly optimistic when it comes to teachers.) But, we've known for years that the act of actually taking the test--recalling information--actually helps you learn. It's not just the studying for the test that helps you, the test-taking itself cements the information.
Turns out that this is just as valid for adults in the office as it is for children in school, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association. People in the study performed better on a final exam when they had taken a test previously, when compared with those people who just studied the material.
So, what does this mean for your business? Well, you probably don't want to break out the No. 2 pencils quite yet. Your employees may not be thrilled to have to take tests. And giving them frequent tests may just result in a super high level of turnover. But when new information needs to be learned by your staff, a test may be just the way to cement their knowledge--not just proof that they were listening in the first place.
For instance, if there are regulations that are critical for your employees to know, give them the material to study and then give them a test on it. The test needs to be difficult enough that their brain actually has to work to pull up the new information. Tests that people can pass without actually learning anything new are a waste of time for everyone.
Or, if you are running your whole company through sexual harassment training, consider giving them a real test three or four days after the presentation. Not only will you see what they learned in the training, they'll remember the information better for the future.
You can also do self-testing as you learn new skills. Things change constantly, and if you want to be on top of things, learning about a new topic and then taking a test on it may just well help you master that information.
Testing may increase the knowledge base of your employees. And that is something that can help you succeed.
http://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/want-smarter-employees-quiz-them.html
Your teachers who used to torment you with pop quizzes and complex final exams weren't just trying to torture you. (Okay, maybe some were.) They wanted to see what you had learned, in order to know what help you needed in order to master the material. (I may be overly optimistic when it comes to teachers.) But, we've known for years that the act of actually taking the test--recalling information--actually helps you learn. It's not just the studying for the test that helps you, the test-taking itself cements the information.
Turns out that this is just as valid for adults in the office as it is for children in school, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association. People in the study performed better on a final exam when they had taken a test previously, when compared with those people who just studied the material.
So, what does this mean for your business? Well, you probably don't want to break out the No. 2 pencils quite yet. Your employees may not be thrilled to have to take tests. And giving them frequent tests may just result in a super high level of turnover. But when new information needs to be learned by your staff, a test may be just the way to cement their knowledge--not just proof that they were listening in the first place.
For instance, if there are regulations that are critical for your employees to know, give them the material to study and then give them a test on it. The test needs to be difficult enough that their brain actually has to work to pull up the new information. Tests that people can pass without actually learning anything new are a waste of time for everyone.
Or, if you are running your whole company through sexual harassment training, consider giving them a real test three or four days after the presentation. Not only will you see what they learned in the training, they'll remember the information better for the future.
You can also do self-testing as you learn new skills. Things change constantly, and if you want to be on top of things, learning about a new topic and then taking a test on it may just well help you master that information.
Testing may increase the knowledge base of your employees. And that is something that can help you succeed.
http://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/want-smarter-employees-quiz-them.html
The Deadly Cost of a B-Player
Here's how mediocre employees can take down a business. Don't let it happen to you.
I recently attended VatorSplash here in San Francisco, and I had the fortune of listening to Renaud Laplanche, CEO of Lending Club speak about a variety of topics. The one that struck me most wasn't about innovation (which is one thing Vator is all about) it was about hiring. My ears perked up.
There's no shortage of information about hiring on Inc.com; Tony Hsieh let us in on the hiring snafus at Zappos. So I'll add this article to the list because it seems so obvious but it's not. It's about how a B-player can ruin your business, or at least take years away from where your business "should be."
Renaud laid it out simply: when you hire a B-player, they'll do an okay job and there's not really a reason to fire them. But B-players can do a few damaging things to your business:
How have you dealt with B-players on your team? I'd love to hear your challenges and successes.
http://www.inc.com/janine-popick/the-deadly-cost-of-a-b-player.html
I recently attended VatorSplash here in San Francisco, and I had the fortune of listening to Renaud Laplanche, CEO of Lending Club speak about a variety of topics. The one that struck me most wasn't about innovation (which is one thing Vator is all about) it was about hiring. My ears perked up.
There's no shortage of information about hiring on Inc.com; Tony Hsieh let us in on the hiring snafus at Zappos. So I'll add this article to the list because it seems so obvious but it's not. It's about how a B-player can ruin your business, or at least take years away from where your business "should be."
Renaud laid it out simply: when you hire a B-player, they'll do an okay job and there's not really a reason to fire them. But B-players can do a few damaging things to your business:
- They'll either hire mediocre people just like them or even worse, C-players, making an increasingly larger portion of your business run by them.
- Your A-players will leave because they don't want to work on a mediocre team and they get sick of the general feeling of not being able to get things done.
How have you dealt with B-players on your team? I'd love to hear your challenges and successes.
http://www.inc.com/janine-popick/the-deadly-cost-of-a-b-player.html
8 Most Common Complaints About the Boss
What are you doing that really drives your employees crazy? You might want to give this list a close read.
Two facts of professional life:
So I asked Jim Hessler and Steve Motenko, leadership coaches and hosts of The Boss Show (a podcast "for anyone who is or has a boss") to list the most common complaints employees have about their bosses.
Why these guys? Their list is based on thousands of confidential discussions with employees and bosses.
They hear things your employees will never tell you.
The good news? Their list contains no real surprises.
The bad news? Their list contains no real surprises--meaning, most employees have the same issues with their bosses.
The great news? If you deal with the issues below, you'll immediately stand out as a great boss--and your business will be seen as a much better place to work.
Here's the list. My boss:
According to Hessler, The Boss Show provides a constant reminder that even in a hierarchical relationship, leadership is a two-way street. Rather than regarding disgruntled workers as "victims" of their bosses' incompetence or disengagement, he and Motenko often highlight the employee's responsibility for making things better.
"Ranking on the lower level of the professional totem pole seems to make a lot of people passive," Motenko says, "or perhaps they are there because they are passive."
So what can you do? Take a look at the list. Take a hard look at the list. How many items apply to you--even if not consistently but only occasionally?
Then get to work. If you believe your employees are your most important assets--and you should--start treating them with the consideration and respect they deserve.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-most-common-complaints-employees-have-about-their-boss.html
Two facts of professional life:
- Every employee has a boss, and
- Every employee has at least one complaint about his or her boss, including, unfortunately, you.
So I asked Jim Hessler and Steve Motenko, leadership coaches and hosts of The Boss Show (a podcast "for anyone who is or has a boss") to list the most common complaints employees have about their bosses.
Why these guys? Their list is based on thousands of confidential discussions with employees and bosses.
They hear things your employees will never tell you.
The good news? Their list contains no real surprises.
The bad news? Their list contains no real surprises--meaning, most employees have the same issues with their bosses.
The great news? If you deal with the issues below, you'll immediately stand out as a great boss--and your business will be seen as a much better place to work.
Here's the list. My boss:
- Micromanages me
- Doesn't listen
- Doesn't want to have his/her opinions and ideas challenged
- Doesn't follow through on promises
- Assigns deadlines without considering what's on my plate
- Doesn't have time for me
- Doesn't give helpful feedback about my performance
- Is disorganized and reactive
According to Hessler, The Boss Show provides a constant reminder that even in a hierarchical relationship, leadership is a two-way street. Rather than regarding disgruntled workers as "victims" of their bosses' incompetence or disengagement, he and Motenko often highlight the employee's responsibility for making things better.
"Ranking on the lower level of the professional totem pole seems to make a lot of people passive," Motenko says, "or perhaps they are there because they are passive."
So what can you do? Take a look at the list. Take a hard look at the list. How many items apply to you--even if not consistently but only occasionally?
Then get to work. If you believe your employees are your most important assets--and you should--start treating them with the consideration and respect they deserve.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-most-common-complaints-employees-have-about-their-boss.html
3/4/13
14 Revealing Interview Questions
Interview questions: Everyone has them.
And everyone wishes they had better ones.
So I asked smart people from a variety of fields for their favorite interview question and, more importantly, why it's their favorite and what it tells them about the candidate.
1. If we're sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it's been for you in this role, what did we achieve together?
"For me, the most important thing about interviews is that the interviewee interviews us. I need to know they've done their homework, truly understand our company and the role... and really want it.
"The candidate should have enough strategic vision to not only talk about how good the year has been but to answer with an eye towards that bigger-picture understanding of the company--and why they want to be here."
2. When have you been most satisfied in your life?
"Except with entry-level candidates, I presume reasonable job skill and intellect. Plus I believe smart people with relevant experience adapt quickly and excel in new environments where the culture fits and inspires them.
"So, I concentrate on character and how well theirs matches that of my organization.
"This question opens the door for a different kind of conversation where I push to see the match between life in my company and what this person needs to be their best and better in my company than he or she could be anywhere else."
3. If you got hired, loved everything about this job, and are paid the salary you asked for, what kind of offer from another company would you consider?
"I like to find out how much the candidate is driven by money versus working at a place they love.
"Can they be bought?
"You'd be surprised by some of the answers."
4. Who is your role model, and why?
"The question can reveal how introspective the candidate is about their own personal and professional development, which is a quality I have found to be highly correlated with success and ambition.
"Plus it can show what attributes and behaviors the candidate aspires to."
5. What things do you not like to do?
"We tend to assume people who have held a role enjoy all aspects of that role, but I've found that is seldom the case.
"Getting an honest answer to the question requires persistence, though. I usually have to ask it a few times in different ways, but the answers are always worth the effort. For instance, I interviewed a sales candidate who said she didn't enjoy meeting new people.
"My favorite was the finance candidate who told me he hated dealing with mundane details and checking his work. Next!"
6. Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
"I find that this question opens the door to further questions and enables someone to highlight themselves in a specific, non-generic way.
"Plus additional questions can easily follow: What position did you hold when you achieved this accomplishment? How did it impact your growth at the company? Who else was involved and how did the accomplishment impact your team?
"Discussing a single accomplishment is an easy way to open doors to additional information and insight about the person, their work habits, and how they work with others."
7. Tell me how...
"I don't have one favorite question because I believe a great interview takes on a life of its own, becoming more of a conversation than a formal process.
"Ultimately we're looking for people who are motivated, disciplined, good spirited, possessing skills and passion, so I ask indirect questions about the creative process, about articulating and demystifying the process of creating great food and great service.
"Then I trust my instincts. Reading the eyes of the candidate is a final test I've come to rely on--because the eyes never lie."
8. What's your superpower, or what's your spirit animal?
"During her interview I asked my current executive assistant what was her favorite animal. She told me it was a duck, because ducks are calm on the surface and hustling like crazy getting things done under the surface.
"I think this was an amazing response and a perfect description for the role of an EA. For the record, she's been working with us for over a year now and is amazing at her job."
9. Why have you had x amount of jobs in y years?
"This question helps me get a full picture of the candidate's work history. What keeps them motivated? Why, if they have, did they jump from job to job? And what is the key factor when they leave?
"The answer shows me their loyalty and their reasoning process. Do they believe someone always keeps them down (managers, bosses, etc.)? Do they get bored easily?
"There is nothing inherently wrong with moving from job to job--the reasons why are what matters."
10. We're constantly making things better, faster, smarter or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more--with less. Tell me about a recent project or problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive.
"Good candidates will have lots of answers to this question. Great candidates will get excited as they share their answers.
"In 13 years we've only passed along one price increase to our customers. That's not because our costs have decreased--quite the contrary. We've been able to maintain our prices because we've gotten better at what we do. Our team, at every level, has their ears to the ground looking for problems to solve.
"Every new employee needs to do that, too."
11. Discuss a specific accomplishment you've achieved in a previous position that indicates you will thrive in this position.
"Past performance is usually the best indicator of future success.
"If the candidate can't point to a prior accomplishment, they are unlikely to be able to accomplish much at our organization--or yours."
12. So, (insert name), what's your story?
"This inane question immediately puts an interviewee on the defensive because there is no right answer or wrong answer. But there is an answer.
"It's a question that asks for a creative response. It's an invitation to the candidate to play the game and see where it goes without worrying about the right answer. By playing along, it tells me a lot about the character, imagination, and inventiveness of the person.
"The question, as obtuse as it might sound to the interviewee, is the beginning of a story and in today's world of selling oneself, or one's company, it's the ability to tell a story and create a feeling that sells the brand--whether it's a product or a person.
"The way they look at me when the question is asked also tells me something about their likeability. If they act defensive, look uncomfortable, and pause longer than a few seconds, it tells me they probably take things too literally and are not broad thinkers. In our business we need broad thinkers."
13. What questions do you have for me?
"I love asking this question really early in the interview--it shows me whether the candidate can think quickly on their feet, and also reveals their level of preparation and strategic thinking.
"I often find you can learn more about a person based on the questions they ask versus the answers they give."
14. Tell us about a time when things didn't go the way you wanted-- like a promotion you wanted and didn't get, or a project that didn't turn out how you had hoped.
"It's a simple question that says so much. Candidates may say they understand the importance of working as a team but that doesn't mean they actually know how to work as a team. We need self-starters that will view their position as a partnership.
"Answers tend to fall into three basic categories: 1) blame 2) self-deprecation, or 3) opportunity for growth.
"Our company requires focused employees willing to wear many hats and sometimes go above and beyond the job description, so I want team players with the right attitude and approach. If the candidate points fingers, blames, goes negative on former employers, communicates with a sense of entitlement, or speaks in terms of their role as an individual as opposed to their position as a partnership, he or she won't do well here.
"But if they take responsibility and are eager to put what they have learned to work, they will thrive in our meritocracy."
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/14-revealing-interview-questions.html
And everyone wishes they had better ones.
So I asked smart people from a variety of fields for their favorite interview question and, more importantly, why it's their favorite and what it tells them about the candidate.
1. If we're sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it's been for you in this role, what did we achieve together?
"For me, the most important thing about interviews is that the interviewee interviews us. I need to know they've done their homework, truly understand our company and the role... and really want it.
"The candidate should have enough strategic vision to not only talk about how good the year has been but to answer with an eye towards that bigger-picture understanding of the company--and why they want to be here."
2. When have you been most satisfied in your life?
"Except with entry-level candidates, I presume reasonable job skill and intellect. Plus I believe smart people with relevant experience adapt quickly and excel in new environments where the culture fits and inspires them.
"So, I concentrate on character and how well theirs matches that of my organization.
"This question opens the door for a different kind of conversation where I push to see the match between life in my company and what this person needs to be their best and better in my company than he or she could be anywhere else."
3. If you got hired, loved everything about this job, and are paid the salary you asked for, what kind of offer from another company would you consider?
"I like to find out how much the candidate is driven by money versus working at a place they love.
"Can they be bought?
"You'd be surprised by some of the answers."
4. Who is your role model, and why?
"The question can reveal how introspective the candidate is about their own personal and professional development, which is a quality I have found to be highly correlated with success and ambition.
"Plus it can show what attributes and behaviors the candidate aspires to."
5. What things do you not like to do?
"We tend to assume people who have held a role enjoy all aspects of that role, but I've found that is seldom the case.
"Getting an honest answer to the question requires persistence, though. I usually have to ask it a few times in different ways, but the answers are always worth the effort. For instance, I interviewed a sales candidate who said she didn't enjoy meeting new people.
"My favorite was the finance candidate who told me he hated dealing with mundane details and checking his work. Next!"
6. Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
"I find that this question opens the door to further questions and enables someone to highlight themselves in a specific, non-generic way.
"Plus additional questions can easily follow: What position did you hold when you achieved this accomplishment? How did it impact your growth at the company? Who else was involved and how did the accomplishment impact your team?
"Discussing a single accomplishment is an easy way to open doors to additional information and insight about the person, their work habits, and how they work with others."
7. Tell me how...
"I don't have one favorite question because I believe a great interview takes on a life of its own, becoming more of a conversation than a formal process.
"Ultimately we're looking for people who are motivated, disciplined, good spirited, possessing skills and passion, so I ask indirect questions about the creative process, about articulating and demystifying the process of creating great food and great service.
"Then I trust my instincts. Reading the eyes of the candidate is a final test I've come to rely on--because the eyes never lie."
8. What's your superpower, or what's your spirit animal?
"During her interview I asked my current executive assistant what was her favorite animal. She told me it was a duck, because ducks are calm on the surface and hustling like crazy getting things done under the surface.
"I think this was an amazing response and a perfect description for the role of an EA. For the record, she's been working with us for over a year now and is amazing at her job."
9. Why have you had x amount of jobs in y years?
"This question helps me get a full picture of the candidate's work history. What keeps them motivated? Why, if they have, did they jump from job to job? And what is the key factor when they leave?
"The answer shows me their loyalty and their reasoning process. Do they believe someone always keeps them down (managers, bosses, etc.)? Do they get bored easily?
"There is nothing inherently wrong with moving from job to job--the reasons why are what matters."
10. We're constantly making things better, faster, smarter or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more--with less. Tell me about a recent project or problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive.
"Good candidates will have lots of answers to this question. Great candidates will get excited as they share their answers.
"In 13 years we've only passed along one price increase to our customers. That's not because our costs have decreased--quite the contrary. We've been able to maintain our prices because we've gotten better at what we do. Our team, at every level, has their ears to the ground looking for problems to solve.
"Every new employee needs to do that, too."
11. Discuss a specific accomplishment you've achieved in a previous position that indicates you will thrive in this position.
"Past performance is usually the best indicator of future success.
"If the candidate can't point to a prior accomplishment, they are unlikely to be able to accomplish much at our organization--or yours."
12. So, (insert name), what's your story?
"This inane question immediately puts an interviewee on the defensive because there is no right answer or wrong answer. But there is an answer.
"It's a question that asks for a creative response. It's an invitation to the candidate to play the game and see where it goes without worrying about the right answer. By playing along, it tells me a lot about the character, imagination, and inventiveness of the person.
"The question, as obtuse as it might sound to the interviewee, is the beginning of a story and in today's world of selling oneself, or one's company, it's the ability to tell a story and create a feeling that sells the brand--whether it's a product or a person.
"The way they look at me when the question is asked also tells me something about their likeability. If they act defensive, look uncomfortable, and pause longer than a few seconds, it tells me they probably take things too literally and are not broad thinkers. In our business we need broad thinkers."
13. What questions do you have for me?
"I love asking this question really early in the interview--it shows me whether the candidate can think quickly on their feet, and also reveals their level of preparation and strategic thinking.
"I often find you can learn more about a person based on the questions they ask versus the answers they give."
14. Tell us about a time when things didn't go the way you wanted-- like a promotion you wanted and didn't get, or a project that didn't turn out how you had hoped.
"It's a simple question that says so much. Candidates may say they understand the importance of working as a team but that doesn't mean they actually know how to work as a team. We need self-starters that will view their position as a partnership.
"Answers tend to fall into three basic categories: 1) blame 2) self-deprecation, or 3) opportunity for growth.
"Our company requires focused employees willing to wear many hats and sometimes go above and beyond the job description, so I want team players with the right attitude and approach. If the candidate points fingers, blames, goes negative on former employers, communicates with a sense of entitlement, or speaks in terms of their role as an individual as opposed to their position as a partnership, he or she won't do well here.
"But if they take responsibility and are eager to put what they have learned to work, they will thrive in our meritocracy."
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/14-revealing-interview-questions.html
3/1/13
10 Things Really Amazing Employees Do
Here are ten traits that any great employer should recognize and reward instantly.
As a longtime employer of dozens, I was always grateful to have good employees. It takes a lot to recruit and maintain top talent. Every once in a while special employees come along that just really seem to get it. They drive the entire company forward in ways that were unimaginable. Advancement and reward is never an issue for these rock stars because they understand the power of cause and effect, and only a worthy company can retain them and afford them.
Here are 10 things amazing employees seem to do effortlessly. Here's how to help your great employees be even more amazing.
1. Enthusiastically Learn All Aspects of Business
They understand they're part of something bigger and more worthwhile than just their job. They look to learn other areas of the business and be fluent in finance and management so they'll positively impact multiple areas of the company.
What you can do: Invest in material and seminars on business basics like accounting, marketing, and management so all employees have easy access to learn and grow.
2. Steward the Company
They treat the company as if it were theirs. They look to make prudent decisions about expenses and opportunities with the long-term future of the company in mind. They easily assess risk vs. reward, selflessly when making decisions.
What you can do: Be transparent in your business. The more you share your financials and philosophy, the easier it is for employees to make the right decisions.
3. Generate Viable Opportunities
You don't have to be in sales or marketing to help a company grow. Strong networkers from all divisions see company growth as a collective effort and constantly keep their eyes open for ways to more than pay for themselves.
What you can do: Make sure all your employees understand your value proposition and can easily identify opportunities. Then reward them openly for their efforts.
4. Resolve Issues Before They Are Issues
My favorite days running companies are when I notice positive change in procedure when I was totally unaware of the need for change. Amazing employees are always looking to improve systems proactively, and they do.
What you can do: Communicate a clear written vision of where the company is going and encourage initiative so people feel safe and empowered to make change.
5. Tell It Like It Is
Amazing employees understand that hiding bad news helps no one. They find kind ways to bring uncomfortable information to the surface, but they DO bring it to the surface. They tell people what's necessary before major damage is done.
What you can do: Foster an open communication environment where people are not only given permission to tell the truth, but also absolutely required.
6. Demonstrate High Standards, With Low Maintenance
I always feel relaxed when I can trust an employee to perform a task to the same high standards I would expect from myself. Not all can do this without constant attention or difficulty. Amazing employees quietly drive their own high standards.
What you can do: Set the example and the tone for high performance with minimal drama. Publicly reward those who can execute in the same manner.
7. Grow Themselves, and Others
They not only drive their own career but they inspire others to do the same. These employees lead by example in how to advance without creating animosity or resentment. They see and create their perfect future, and also bring others along.
What you can do: Encourage personal development and peer growth through dedicated group time and learning for career advancement.
8. Research, Apply, and Refine
No employer expects people to know everything. In this fast changing world, I choose employees who will learn over those who know. The best employee proactively explores options, takes action and then improves without direction from the top.
What you can do: Invest time in exploration and expansive thinking. Encourage people to explore deep visionary projects with time and reward for the findings.
9. Stimulate Happiness
Amazing employees aren't always sunshine and roses. They do know how to keep it real. But they understand the dynamics of people, stress, and the blend of work, life and friendship. They are self-aware and able to direct their own path that brings out their best with family, friends and career. They exude positive energy even in stressful times and share it around, making for a happier office.
What you can do: Create an environment where people can openly express themselves. Encourage them to work hard in fulfilling ways and achieve their dreams.
10. Facilitate Amazing Bosses
Amazing employees make me grow as an employer. They self-confidently get their value and help me get mine. They make me want to be worthy of working with somebody of such high caliber, without ever saying it directly of course.
What you can do: Make effort to genuinely show appreciation for any of the behaviors above so people feel their value and will grow to full potential. Then they will do the same for you.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/10-things-really-amazing-employees-do.html
As a longtime employer of dozens, I was always grateful to have good employees. It takes a lot to recruit and maintain top talent. Every once in a while special employees come along that just really seem to get it. They drive the entire company forward in ways that were unimaginable. Advancement and reward is never an issue for these rock stars because they understand the power of cause and effect, and only a worthy company can retain them and afford them.
Here are 10 things amazing employees seem to do effortlessly. Here's how to help your great employees be even more amazing.
1. Enthusiastically Learn All Aspects of Business
They understand they're part of something bigger and more worthwhile than just their job. They look to learn other areas of the business and be fluent in finance and management so they'll positively impact multiple areas of the company.
What you can do: Invest in material and seminars on business basics like accounting, marketing, and management so all employees have easy access to learn and grow.
2. Steward the Company
They treat the company as if it were theirs. They look to make prudent decisions about expenses and opportunities with the long-term future of the company in mind. They easily assess risk vs. reward, selflessly when making decisions.
What you can do: Be transparent in your business. The more you share your financials and philosophy, the easier it is for employees to make the right decisions.
3. Generate Viable Opportunities
You don't have to be in sales or marketing to help a company grow. Strong networkers from all divisions see company growth as a collective effort and constantly keep their eyes open for ways to more than pay for themselves.
What you can do: Make sure all your employees understand your value proposition and can easily identify opportunities. Then reward them openly for their efforts.
4. Resolve Issues Before They Are Issues
My favorite days running companies are when I notice positive change in procedure when I was totally unaware of the need for change. Amazing employees are always looking to improve systems proactively, and they do.
What you can do: Communicate a clear written vision of where the company is going and encourage initiative so people feel safe and empowered to make change.
5. Tell It Like It Is
Amazing employees understand that hiding bad news helps no one. They find kind ways to bring uncomfortable information to the surface, but they DO bring it to the surface. They tell people what's necessary before major damage is done.
What you can do: Foster an open communication environment where people are not only given permission to tell the truth, but also absolutely required.
6. Demonstrate High Standards, With Low Maintenance
I always feel relaxed when I can trust an employee to perform a task to the same high standards I would expect from myself. Not all can do this without constant attention or difficulty. Amazing employees quietly drive their own high standards.
What you can do: Set the example and the tone for high performance with minimal drama. Publicly reward those who can execute in the same manner.
7. Grow Themselves, and Others
They not only drive their own career but they inspire others to do the same. These employees lead by example in how to advance without creating animosity or resentment. They see and create their perfect future, and also bring others along.
What you can do: Encourage personal development and peer growth through dedicated group time and learning for career advancement.
8. Research, Apply, and Refine
No employer expects people to know everything. In this fast changing world, I choose employees who will learn over those who know. The best employee proactively explores options, takes action and then improves without direction from the top.
What you can do: Invest time in exploration and expansive thinking. Encourage people to explore deep visionary projects with time and reward for the findings.
9. Stimulate Happiness
Amazing employees aren't always sunshine and roses. They do know how to keep it real. But they understand the dynamics of people, stress, and the blend of work, life and friendship. They are self-aware and able to direct their own path that brings out their best with family, friends and career. They exude positive energy even in stressful times and share it around, making for a happier office.
What you can do: Create an environment where people can openly express themselves. Encourage them to work hard in fulfilling ways and achieve their dreams.
10. Facilitate Amazing Bosses
Amazing employees make me grow as an employer. They self-confidently get their value and help me get mine. They make me want to be worthy of working with somebody of such high caliber, without ever saying it directly of course.
What you can do: Make effort to genuinely show appreciation for any of the behaviors above so people feel their value and will grow to full potential. Then they will do the same for you.
http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/10-things-really-amazing-employees-do.html
2/27/13
Great Leaders Know When to Forgive
Leaders must be firm and foster accountability, but they also must
know when to forgive past wrongs in the service of building a brighter
future. One of the most courageous acts of leadership is to forgo the
temptation to take revenge on those on the other side of an issue or
those who opposed the leader's rise to power.
Instead of settling scores, great leaders make gestures of reconciliation that heal wounds and get on with business. This is essential for turnarounds or to prevent mergers from turning into rebellions against acquirers who act like conquering armies.
Nelson Mandela famously forgave his oppressors. After the end of apartheid, which had fostered racial separation and kept blacks impoverished, Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected President. Some in his political party clamored for revenge against members of the previous regime or perhaps even all privileged white people. Instead, to avoid violence, stabilize and unite the nation, and attract investment in the economy, Mandela appointed a racially integrated cabinet, visited the widow of one of the top apartheid leaders, and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that would clear the air and permit moving forward.
Forgiveness can be costly, like the massive amounts of debt forgiveness toward countries like Greece to help create a stable foundation for restoring growth to Europe. Forgiveness can sometimes mean investing in groups that have done something negative — a counterintuitive but often very effective strategy. A striking example, which I recount in my book SuperCorp, occurred in South Korea, not a country known for being kinder and gentler, and yet forgiveness and seeking harmony were at the heart of a major business success.
Shinhan Bank, a fairly new entrepreneurial bank, was set to acquire Chohung Bank, a larger, much older establishment-oriented bank that had hit hard times, when Chohung employees staged an embarrassing action. To protest the takeover, 3,500 men shaved their heads and piled the hair in front of Shinhan's headquarters in downtown Seoul. Shinhan signed an agreement with Chohung's union that astonished some observers. Far from taking revenge for the protest (or walking away from the deal), Shinhan agreed to raise wages, promise no layoffs, have equal representation of both banks on key committees, and wait three years for full integration. These and other investments in the future generated a significant payoff. Within a year, shareholder value had increased (it decreases in a majority of mergers) and employees from both banks were informally integrating, with the union neutralized. Within three years, Shinhan Financial Group was outperforming not only the industry but the entire South Korean stock market.
"Revenge is not justice," says General Douglas MacArthur, as played by Tommy Lee Jones in Emperor, an engrossing new feature film about the surrender of the Japanese to American troops at the end of World War II. Like the hit movie Lincoln, the movie Emperor dramatizes a turning point in history replete with leadership lessons. (The movie will be released March 8; I saw an early screening thanks to producer Gary Foster, a personal friend.) The question requiring leadership judgment is whether to hang Japan's Emperor Hirohito for war crimes. There's pressure from Washington and his fellow officers to punish the emperor, but General MacArthur, seeing that Japan teeters on civil unrest and reveres its emperor, refuses to give in. He instead uses his power for reconciliation. The emperor remains in place, though stripped of his divinity. In a gesture of contrition, Hirohito leaves the palace to go to American headquarters for the first time. In the mesmerizing final scene, MacArthur and Hirohito pose side by side for a photograph. As we know from history, the rebuilding of war-torn Japan was an economic and social triumph.
If revenge is not justice, it is not strategy either. The founder of a second-tier computer company was pushed out a few years after the company went public. I watched him gather investors and regain control with something to prove — that they were wrong to push him out. Once back at the helm, he had no clear alternative direction. The company foundered and was sold at a low valuation. Let's hope that revenge against critics isn't the motivation for Michael Dell to take Dell private or the founder of Best Buy to attempt a takeover.
Anger and blame are unproductive emotions that tie up energy in destroying rather than creating. People who want to save a marriage, for example, must let go of the desire to hurt a partner the way they think the partner has hurt them and instead make a gesture of reconciliation.
Those whose main motivation is to settle scores and get payback — to obstruct rather than construct — are on the wrong side of history. Their legacy is not rebuilding, but rubble. From (ahem) members of Congress to leaders in any turnaround situation, it's a lesson worth remembering: Taking revenge can destroy countries, companies, and relationships. Forgiveness can rebuild them.
http://blogs.hbr.org/kanter/2013/02/great-leaders-know-when-to.html
Instead of settling scores, great leaders make gestures of reconciliation that heal wounds and get on with business. This is essential for turnarounds or to prevent mergers from turning into rebellions against acquirers who act like conquering armies.
Nelson Mandela famously forgave his oppressors. After the end of apartheid, which had fostered racial separation and kept blacks impoverished, Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected President. Some in his political party clamored for revenge against members of the previous regime or perhaps even all privileged white people. Instead, to avoid violence, stabilize and unite the nation, and attract investment in the economy, Mandela appointed a racially integrated cabinet, visited the widow of one of the top apartheid leaders, and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that would clear the air and permit moving forward.
Forgiveness can be costly, like the massive amounts of debt forgiveness toward countries like Greece to help create a stable foundation for restoring growth to Europe. Forgiveness can sometimes mean investing in groups that have done something negative — a counterintuitive but often very effective strategy. A striking example, which I recount in my book SuperCorp, occurred in South Korea, not a country known for being kinder and gentler, and yet forgiveness and seeking harmony were at the heart of a major business success.
Shinhan Bank, a fairly new entrepreneurial bank, was set to acquire Chohung Bank, a larger, much older establishment-oriented bank that had hit hard times, when Chohung employees staged an embarrassing action. To protest the takeover, 3,500 men shaved their heads and piled the hair in front of Shinhan's headquarters in downtown Seoul. Shinhan signed an agreement with Chohung's union that astonished some observers. Far from taking revenge for the protest (or walking away from the deal), Shinhan agreed to raise wages, promise no layoffs, have equal representation of both banks on key committees, and wait three years for full integration. These and other investments in the future generated a significant payoff. Within a year, shareholder value had increased (it decreases in a majority of mergers) and employees from both banks were informally integrating, with the union neutralized. Within three years, Shinhan Financial Group was outperforming not only the industry but the entire South Korean stock market.
"Revenge is not justice," says General Douglas MacArthur, as played by Tommy Lee Jones in Emperor, an engrossing new feature film about the surrender of the Japanese to American troops at the end of World War II. Like the hit movie Lincoln, the movie Emperor dramatizes a turning point in history replete with leadership lessons. (The movie will be released March 8; I saw an early screening thanks to producer Gary Foster, a personal friend.) The question requiring leadership judgment is whether to hang Japan's Emperor Hirohito for war crimes. There's pressure from Washington and his fellow officers to punish the emperor, but General MacArthur, seeing that Japan teeters on civil unrest and reveres its emperor, refuses to give in. He instead uses his power for reconciliation. The emperor remains in place, though stripped of his divinity. In a gesture of contrition, Hirohito leaves the palace to go to American headquarters for the first time. In the mesmerizing final scene, MacArthur and Hirohito pose side by side for a photograph. As we know from history, the rebuilding of war-torn Japan was an economic and social triumph.
If revenge is not justice, it is not strategy either. The founder of a second-tier computer company was pushed out a few years after the company went public. I watched him gather investors and regain control with something to prove — that they were wrong to push him out. Once back at the helm, he had no clear alternative direction. The company foundered and was sold at a low valuation. Let's hope that revenge against critics isn't the motivation for Michael Dell to take Dell private or the founder of Best Buy to attempt a takeover.
Anger and blame are unproductive emotions that tie up energy in destroying rather than creating. People who want to save a marriage, for example, must let go of the desire to hurt a partner the way they think the partner has hurt them and instead make a gesture of reconciliation.
Those whose main motivation is to settle scores and get payback — to obstruct rather than construct — are on the wrong side of history. Their legacy is not rebuilding, but rubble. From (ahem) members of Congress to leaders in any turnaround situation, it's a lesson worth remembering: Taking revenge can destroy countries, companies, and relationships. Forgiveness can rebuild them.
2/4/13
How to Let Down an Employee Who Isn't Ready for a Promotion
Missing out on a promotion can be a huge blow to high-performing employees. Here's how to keep them from jumping ship.
You've got a hard choice: Promote an excellent employee or bring in a better fit from the outside. If you decide to pass over your existing talent for a promotion (which sometimes is best for your business), you should be ready to do some serious damage control to keep the peace.
"It would be wonderful if the company could offer some sort of incentive to keep [the runner-up] around,” Stan Kimer, president of Total Engagement Consulting told Knowledge@Wharton in a recent post. “That could be a really super dynamic, but it's not that common."
Keeping a wounded employee on board requires a careful mix of comforting and coaching skills. Here are a few steps you can take to make it through this delicate situation. Managed carefully, you can move past an employee’s hurt feelings with your company’s top talent still intact.
Be honest. Easier said than done, obviously. If the employee didn’t get the gig he was hoping for, odds are there’s a reason. Discuss the experience and skill set the position required, and (as much as possible) why you promoted the person you did. But keep things positive, focusing more on attributes an employee can develop than skills or qualities he lacks.
Reassure your employee that he/she is valued, wanted, and important to your company. This is a crucial step in pulling someone back from the urge to jump ship. Give him a brief evaluation of his strengths in his current position, and discuss a plan for how to grow and improve. Feeling valued is a key indicator of job performance, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.
Most importantly, discuss other possibilities for advancement. No one wants to feel like they’re in a dead-end job, and that feeling will be all the more acute after losing out on a promotion. By helping your employee refocus on a different, more attainable possibility for moving up the ladder, you’ll assuage some of the disappointment and refocus his energy on a new goal.
http://www.inc.com/julie-strickland/passed-over-for-promotion-how-to-let-down.html
You've got a hard choice: Promote an excellent employee or bring in a better fit from the outside. If you decide to pass over your existing talent for a promotion (which sometimes is best for your business), you should be ready to do some serious damage control to keep the peace.
"It would be wonderful if the company could offer some sort of incentive to keep [the runner-up] around,” Stan Kimer, president of Total Engagement Consulting told Knowledge@Wharton in a recent post. “That could be a really super dynamic, but it's not that common."
Keeping a wounded employee on board requires a careful mix of comforting and coaching skills. Here are a few steps you can take to make it through this delicate situation. Managed carefully, you can move past an employee’s hurt feelings with your company’s top talent still intact.
Be honest. Easier said than done, obviously. If the employee didn’t get the gig he was hoping for, odds are there’s a reason. Discuss the experience and skill set the position required, and (as much as possible) why you promoted the person you did. But keep things positive, focusing more on attributes an employee can develop than skills or qualities he lacks.
Reassure your employee that he/she is valued, wanted, and important to your company. This is a crucial step in pulling someone back from the urge to jump ship. Give him a brief evaluation of his strengths in his current position, and discuss a plan for how to grow and improve. Feeling valued is a key indicator of job performance, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.
Most importantly, discuss other possibilities for advancement. No one wants to feel like they’re in a dead-end job, and that feeling will be all the more acute after losing out on a promotion. By helping your employee refocus on a different, more attainable possibility for moving up the ladder, you’ll assuage some of the disappointment and refocus his energy on a new goal.
http://www.inc.com/julie-strickland/passed-over-for-promotion-how-to-let-down.html
9 Hidden Qualities of Stellar Bosses
What your employees see you doing matters. But often it's what they can't see that matters more.
Good bosses look good on paper. Great bosses look great in person; their actions show their value.
Yet some bosses go even farther. They're remarkable--not because of what you see them do but what you don't see them do.
Where remarkable bosses are concerned, what you see is far from all you get:
They forgive... and they forget.
When an employee makes a mistake--especially a major mistake--it's easy to forever view that employee through the perspective of that mistake.
I know. I've done it.
But one mistake, or one weakness, is just one part of the whole person.
Great bosses are able to step back, set aside a mistake, and think about the whole employee.
Remarkable bosses are also able to forget that mistake, because they know that viewing any employee through the lens of one incident may forever impact how they treat that employee.
And they know the employee will be able to tell.
To forgive may be divine, but to forget can be even more divine.
They transform company goals into the employees' personal goals.
Great bosses inspire their employees to achieve company goals.
Remarkable bosses make their employees feel that what they do will benefit them as much as it does the company. After all, whom will you work harder for: A company or yourself?
Whether they get professional development, an opportunity to grow, a chance to shine, a chance to flex their favorite business muscles, employees who feel a sense of personal purpose almost always outperform employees who feel a sense of company purpose.
And they have a lot more fun doing it.
Remarkable bosses know their employees well enough to tap the personal, not just the professional.
They look past the action to the emotion and motivation.
Sometimes employees make mistakes or simply do the wrong thing. Sometimes they take over projects or roles without approval or justification. Sometimes they jockey for position, play political games, or ignore company objectives in pursuit of personal goals.
When that happens it's easy to assume they don't listen or don't care. But almost always there's a deeper reason: They feel stifled, they feel they have no control, they feel marginalized or frustrated--or maybe they are just trying to find a sense of meaning in their work that pay rates and titles can never provide.
Effective bosses deal with actions. Remarkable bosses search for the underlying issues that, when overcome, lead to much bigger change for the better.
They support without seeking credit.
A customer is upset. A vendor feels shortchanged. A coworker is frustrated. Whatever the issue, good bosses support their employees. They know that to do otherwise undermines the employee's credibility and possibly authority.
Afterword, most bosses will say to the employee, "Listen, I took up for you, but..."
Remarkable bosses don't say anything. They feel supporting their employees--even if that shines a negative spotlight on themselves--is the right thing to do and is therefore unremarkable.
Even though we all know it isn't.
They make fewer public decisions.
When a decision needs to be made, most of the time the best person to make that decision isn't the boss. Most of the time the best person is the employee closest to the issue.
Decisiveness is a quality of a good boss. Remarkable bosses can be decisive but often in a different way: They decide they aren't the right person and then decide who is the right person.
They do it not because they don't want to avoid making those decisions but because they know they shouldn't make those decisions.
They don't see control as a reward.
Many people desperately want to be the boss so they can finally call the shots.
Remarkable bosses don't care about control. As a result they aren't seen to exercise control.
They're seen as a person who helps.
They allow employees to learn their own lessons.
It's easy for a boss to debrief an employee and turn a teachable moment into a lesson learned.
It's a lot harder to let employees learn their own lessons, even though the lessons we learn on our own are the lessons we remember forever.
Remarkable bosses don't scold or dictate; they work together with an employee to figure out what happened and what to do to correct the mistake.
They help find a better way, not a disciplinary way.
Great employees don't need to be scolded or reprimanded. They know what they did wrong.
Sometimes staying silent is the best way to ensure they remember.
They let employees have the ideas.
Years ago I worked in manufacturing and my boss sent me to help move the production control offices. It was basically manual labor, but for two days it put me in a position to watch and hear and learn a lot about how the plant's production flow was controlled.
I found it fascinating and later I asked my boss if I could be trained to fill in as a production clerk. Those two days sparked a lifelong interest in productivity and process improvement.
Years later he admitted he sent me to help move their furniture. "I knew you'd go in there with your eyes wide open," he said, "and once you got a little taste I knew you'd love it."
Remarkable bosses see the potential in their employees and find ways to let them have the ideas, even though the outcome was what they intended all along.
They always go home feeling they could have done better.
Leadership is like a smorgasbord of insecurity. Bosses worry about employees and customers and results. You name it, they worry about it.
That's why remarkable bosses go home every day feeling they could have done things a little better or smarter. They wish they had treated employees with a little more sensitivity or empathy.
Most importantly, they always go home feeling they could have done more to fulfill the trust their employees place in them.
And that's why, although you can't see it, when they walk in the door every day remarkable bosses make a silent commitment to do their jobs even better than they did yesterday.
And then they do.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/9-hidden-qualities-of-remarkable-bosses-mon.html
Good bosses look good on paper. Great bosses look great in person; their actions show their value.
Yet some bosses go even farther. They're remarkable--not because of what you see them do but what you don't see them do.
Where remarkable bosses are concerned, what you see is far from all you get:
They forgive... and they forget.
When an employee makes a mistake--especially a major mistake--it's easy to forever view that employee through the perspective of that mistake.
I know. I've done it.
But one mistake, or one weakness, is just one part of the whole person.
Great bosses are able to step back, set aside a mistake, and think about the whole employee.
Remarkable bosses are also able to forget that mistake, because they know that viewing any employee through the lens of one incident may forever impact how they treat that employee.
And they know the employee will be able to tell.
To forgive may be divine, but to forget can be even more divine.
They transform company goals into the employees' personal goals.
Great bosses inspire their employees to achieve company goals.
Remarkable bosses make their employees feel that what they do will benefit them as much as it does the company. After all, whom will you work harder for: A company or yourself?
Whether they get professional development, an opportunity to grow, a chance to shine, a chance to flex their favorite business muscles, employees who feel a sense of personal purpose almost always outperform employees who feel a sense of company purpose.
And they have a lot more fun doing it.
Remarkable bosses know their employees well enough to tap the personal, not just the professional.
They look past the action to the emotion and motivation.
Sometimes employees make mistakes or simply do the wrong thing. Sometimes they take over projects or roles without approval or justification. Sometimes they jockey for position, play political games, or ignore company objectives in pursuit of personal goals.
When that happens it's easy to assume they don't listen or don't care. But almost always there's a deeper reason: They feel stifled, they feel they have no control, they feel marginalized or frustrated--or maybe they are just trying to find a sense of meaning in their work that pay rates and titles can never provide.
Effective bosses deal with actions. Remarkable bosses search for the underlying issues that, when overcome, lead to much bigger change for the better.
They support without seeking credit.
A customer is upset. A vendor feels shortchanged. A coworker is frustrated. Whatever the issue, good bosses support their employees. They know that to do otherwise undermines the employee's credibility and possibly authority.
Afterword, most bosses will say to the employee, "Listen, I took up for you, but..."
Remarkable bosses don't say anything. They feel supporting their employees--even if that shines a negative spotlight on themselves--is the right thing to do and is therefore unremarkable.
Even though we all know it isn't.
They make fewer public decisions.
When a decision needs to be made, most of the time the best person to make that decision isn't the boss. Most of the time the best person is the employee closest to the issue.
Decisiveness is a quality of a good boss. Remarkable bosses can be decisive but often in a different way: They decide they aren't the right person and then decide who is the right person.
They do it not because they don't want to avoid making those decisions but because they know they shouldn't make those decisions.
They don't see control as a reward.
Many people desperately want to be the boss so they can finally call the shots.
Remarkable bosses don't care about control. As a result they aren't seen to exercise control.
They're seen as a person who helps.
They allow employees to learn their own lessons.
It's easy for a boss to debrief an employee and turn a teachable moment into a lesson learned.
It's a lot harder to let employees learn their own lessons, even though the lessons we learn on our own are the lessons we remember forever.
Remarkable bosses don't scold or dictate; they work together with an employee to figure out what happened and what to do to correct the mistake.
They help find a better way, not a disciplinary way.
Great employees don't need to be scolded or reprimanded. They know what they did wrong.
Sometimes staying silent is the best way to ensure they remember.
They let employees have the ideas.
Years ago I worked in manufacturing and my boss sent me to help move the production control offices. It was basically manual labor, but for two days it put me in a position to watch and hear and learn a lot about how the plant's production flow was controlled.
I found it fascinating and later I asked my boss if I could be trained to fill in as a production clerk. Those two days sparked a lifelong interest in productivity and process improvement.
Years later he admitted he sent me to help move their furniture. "I knew you'd go in there with your eyes wide open," he said, "and once you got a little taste I knew you'd love it."
Remarkable bosses see the potential in their employees and find ways to let them have the ideas, even though the outcome was what they intended all along.
They always go home feeling they could have done better.
Leadership is like a smorgasbord of insecurity. Bosses worry about employees and customers and results. You name it, they worry about it.
That's why remarkable bosses go home every day feeling they could have done things a little better or smarter. They wish they had treated employees with a little more sensitivity or empathy.
Most importantly, they always go home feeling they could have done more to fulfill the trust their employees place in them.
And that's why, although you can't see it, when they walk in the door every day remarkable bosses make a silent commitment to do their jobs even better than they did yesterday.
And then they do.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/9-hidden-qualities-of-remarkable-bosses-mon.html
1/3/13
Simple Secret For Happy Employees
Want to boost your employees' well-being? A new study weighs the
emotional effects of workday duration, engagement, and time off. The
results will surprise you.
Long hours are a hot topic here on Inc.com, with posts discussing the benefits (or lack thereof) of extreme hours generating huge interest.
That might suggest, of course, that workers think that the key to career happiness is a manageable time balance between work and home. What if that simply isn't correct?
According to a new Gallup poll, the key to increasing well-being for employees isn't popular work-life policies like flextime, limited hours or added vacation time. Instead, the thing that correlates most closely with happy employees is engaging work.
The study examined 4,894 full-time employees to determine what factors give the biggest lift to their sense of well-being at work. The results were clear: No amount of vacation time makes up for feeling one's job is boring and pointless.
"Though vacation time and flextime were associated with higher well-being, those who were engaged in their work but took less than one week of vacation had 25% higher overall well-being than actively disengaged employees, even those with six or more weeks of vacation," commented Gallup research manager Sangeeta Agrawal.
Flextime and vacation had an impact on well-being--flextime in particular appears to have a positive impact on employees' happiness levels--but this simply isn't big enough to offset the gloom on a less than engaging gig.
"Fewer hours, more vacation time, and flextime cannot fully offset the negative effects of a disengaging workplace on well-being," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist.
The findings are clearly of interest to workers who are, say, evaluating competing job offers or considering which career trajectory is likely to make them most satisfied. But the lessons are perhaps even more definitive for small business owners.
Sure, work-life balance friendly policies will win you some points with your team, but nothing can make up for feeling unengaged at work. So rather than fretting first about the hours your employees work, think more about ensuring they understand the usefulness of their work, are actively engaged in it, and feel empowered enough that they feel like their day-to-day duties make a real impact.
If the Gallup study isn't enough to convince you, several experts--including VC Brad Feld and management coach Dr. Serena Reep--have also endorsed the idea that flextime and other perks are pretty useless unless employees have a sense of the intrinsic worth of their work.
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/simple-secret-for-happy-employees.html
Long hours are a hot topic here on Inc.com, with posts discussing the benefits (or lack thereof) of extreme hours generating huge interest.
That might suggest, of course, that workers think that the key to career happiness is a manageable time balance between work and home. What if that simply isn't correct?
According to a new Gallup poll, the key to increasing well-being for employees isn't popular work-life policies like flextime, limited hours or added vacation time. Instead, the thing that correlates most closely with happy employees is engaging work.
The study examined 4,894 full-time employees to determine what factors give the biggest lift to their sense of well-being at work. The results were clear: No amount of vacation time makes up for feeling one's job is boring and pointless.
"Though vacation time and flextime were associated with higher well-being, those who were engaged in their work but took less than one week of vacation had 25% higher overall well-being than actively disengaged employees, even those with six or more weeks of vacation," commented Gallup research manager Sangeeta Agrawal.
Flextime and vacation had an impact on well-being--flextime in particular appears to have a positive impact on employees' happiness levels--but this simply isn't big enough to offset the gloom on a less than engaging gig.
"Fewer hours, more vacation time, and flextime cannot fully offset the negative effects of a disengaging workplace on well-being," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist.
The findings are clearly of interest to workers who are, say, evaluating competing job offers or considering which career trajectory is likely to make them most satisfied. But the lessons are perhaps even more definitive for small business owners.
Sure, work-life balance friendly policies will win you some points with your team, but nothing can make up for feeling unengaged at work. So rather than fretting first about the hours your employees work, think more about ensuring they understand the usefulness of their work, are actively engaged in it, and feel empowered enough that they feel like their day-to-day duties make a real impact.
If the Gallup study isn't enough to convince you, several experts--including VC Brad Feld and management coach Dr. Serena Reep--have also endorsed the idea that flextime and other perks are pretty useless unless employees have a sense of the intrinsic worth of their work.
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/simple-secret-for-happy-employees.html
Top 10 Traits of an Exceptional Boss
The first lesson in business is figuring out who you should listen to and who you shouldn't.
Let me ask you something. Would you trust a surgeon who’s never performed an actual procedure? How about a litigation attorney who’s never seen the inside of a courtroom? Of course not.
How about if they got good grades in school and could write really well on the subject? Would you let the doctor use a scalpel on you? Trust the attorney to litigate a big intellectual property suit? Probably not.
Likewise, you shouldn’t waste your time with so-called leadership experts and management academics who have never successfully led a company or run an organization -- emphasis on the word “successfully.”
The first lesson in business is figuring out who you should listen to and who you shouldn’t.
To me, it’s a no-brainer. If you have a choice, you should learn from those who’ve actually accomplished what you’re trying to do. That’s what I’ve always done and it hasn’t failed me yet.
Looking back on a long and eventful career as a high-tech executive and strategy consultant, of all the managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs I’ve worked with, certain management qualities stand out. These are the characteristics that achieve results in the real world.
They hold themselves and others accountable. There are no absolutes in business. You make commitments, put your butt on the line, then see how you did. Unless you complete that feedback loop and hold everyone’s feet to the fire, nothing really counts. Some managers are fearless in the way they accept responsibility and hold themselves and others accountable.
They’re not full of surprises. An often overlooked but incredibly important aspect of management is the simple fact that we’ve all got issues, some more than others. Sure, we’re all different, but if you’re overly dysfunctional, if everything’s got to be about you, if you create more problems than you solve, if you have a disruptive or abusive management style, you’d better have an awful lot of great qualities under the hood to compensate, that’s for sure.
They fix things. A big part of running a business or an organization is troubleshooting and problem solving. One CEO I’ve worked with for years says that’s what he loves most about his job. Whether it’s a product, a customer, or an employee, every day brings new challenges and problems to solve. Every great manager I’ve ever known is a born troubleshooter and problem solver.
They have a feel for the business. Most managers just put their heads down and try to be good at their specific function. But the best managers have a solid understanding of all the key aspects of the business they’re in. They understand the products, the technology, market share, sales channels, and how to read an income statement. Those well-rounded managers make the best executives and business leaders.
They get the job done. Some people just make things happen. You give them the big picture, turn them loose and stand back. They’re like machines that are programmed to do whatever it takes to get things done. And they’ll find a way, no matter what. Those are the kind of people you want running things.
They manage up and sideways effectively. Lots of managers are good at what they do, but put them in an organization of any size and they flop. More often than not, that’s because they’re good technicians who just want to put their heads down, get things done, and go home. The best managers know how to communicate and work effectively with their bosses and peers, how to give them what they need to be successful and get the same in return.
They’re awesome decision-makers. More than anything, management is about decision-making. That’s where the rubber meets the road. The most effective way I know to do that is to ask the right people the right questions, listen to what they tell you, then trust your gut and make the call. If you’re right a lot more than you’re wrong, you’re in good shape.
They’re effective, not productive. We live and work in a fast-paced, ever-changing, highly competitive world. Maybe there was a time when process and productivity ruled, but these days, management needs to be flexible and adaptive. Sure, you’ve got to prioritize, but once you figure out what needs to be done, it’s generally more important to be effective than to squeeze every last iota of productivity out of yourself and your people.
They live for their jobs. The big management fad these days is employee engagement. But it’s even more important for managers and business leaders to be engaged, empowered, driven, and motivated. In my experience, that’s not a given. The best bosses I’ve known all live for their jobs, so to speak.
They have a sense of humor, humility, and empathy. When we’re young, we tend to be full of all the self-importance of youth. After all, children are completely egocentric and none of us grow up overnight. But time and experience usually teaches us lessons in our own limitations and fallibility. That tends to infuse a sense of humor, humility, and empathy, at least in some well-balanced adults who just so happen to make great bosses.
The thing about lists like these is they tend to be composites of all the best qualities we’ve seen in ourselves and others. That’s certainly the case here so, if you’ve got five or six of these qualities, you’re probably doing fine. But make no mistake. It’s a competitive world out there. If you want to make it, skip all the inspirational feel-good fluff and focus on what it takes to succeed -- in the real world.
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/10-traits-of-exceptional-bosses.html
Let me ask you something. Would you trust a surgeon who’s never performed an actual procedure? How about a litigation attorney who’s never seen the inside of a courtroom? Of course not.
How about if they got good grades in school and could write really well on the subject? Would you let the doctor use a scalpel on you? Trust the attorney to litigate a big intellectual property suit? Probably not.
Likewise, you shouldn’t waste your time with so-called leadership experts and management academics who have never successfully led a company or run an organization -- emphasis on the word “successfully.”
The first lesson in business is figuring out who you should listen to and who you shouldn’t.
To me, it’s a no-brainer. If you have a choice, you should learn from those who’ve actually accomplished what you’re trying to do. That’s what I’ve always done and it hasn’t failed me yet.
Looking back on a long and eventful career as a high-tech executive and strategy consultant, of all the managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs I’ve worked with, certain management qualities stand out. These are the characteristics that achieve results in the real world.
They hold themselves and others accountable. There are no absolutes in business. You make commitments, put your butt on the line, then see how you did. Unless you complete that feedback loop and hold everyone’s feet to the fire, nothing really counts. Some managers are fearless in the way they accept responsibility and hold themselves and others accountable.
They’re not full of surprises. An often overlooked but incredibly important aspect of management is the simple fact that we’ve all got issues, some more than others. Sure, we’re all different, but if you’re overly dysfunctional, if everything’s got to be about you, if you create more problems than you solve, if you have a disruptive or abusive management style, you’d better have an awful lot of great qualities under the hood to compensate, that’s for sure.
They fix things. A big part of running a business or an organization is troubleshooting and problem solving. One CEO I’ve worked with for years says that’s what he loves most about his job. Whether it’s a product, a customer, or an employee, every day brings new challenges and problems to solve. Every great manager I’ve ever known is a born troubleshooter and problem solver.
They have a feel for the business. Most managers just put their heads down and try to be good at their specific function. But the best managers have a solid understanding of all the key aspects of the business they’re in. They understand the products, the technology, market share, sales channels, and how to read an income statement. Those well-rounded managers make the best executives and business leaders.
They get the job done. Some people just make things happen. You give them the big picture, turn them loose and stand back. They’re like machines that are programmed to do whatever it takes to get things done. And they’ll find a way, no matter what. Those are the kind of people you want running things.
They manage up and sideways effectively. Lots of managers are good at what they do, but put them in an organization of any size and they flop. More often than not, that’s because they’re good technicians who just want to put their heads down, get things done, and go home. The best managers know how to communicate and work effectively with their bosses and peers, how to give them what they need to be successful and get the same in return.
They’re awesome decision-makers. More than anything, management is about decision-making. That’s where the rubber meets the road. The most effective way I know to do that is to ask the right people the right questions, listen to what they tell you, then trust your gut and make the call. If you’re right a lot more than you’re wrong, you’re in good shape.
They’re effective, not productive. We live and work in a fast-paced, ever-changing, highly competitive world. Maybe there was a time when process and productivity ruled, but these days, management needs to be flexible and adaptive. Sure, you’ve got to prioritize, but once you figure out what needs to be done, it’s generally more important to be effective than to squeeze every last iota of productivity out of yourself and your people.
They live for their jobs. The big management fad these days is employee engagement. But it’s even more important for managers and business leaders to be engaged, empowered, driven, and motivated. In my experience, that’s not a given. The best bosses I’ve known all live for their jobs, so to speak.
They have a sense of humor, humility, and empathy. When we’re young, we tend to be full of all the self-importance of youth. After all, children are completely egocentric and none of us grow up overnight. But time and experience usually teaches us lessons in our own limitations and fallibility. That tends to infuse a sense of humor, humility, and empathy, at least in some well-balanced adults who just so happen to make great bosses.
The thing about lists like these is they tend to be composites of all the best qualities we’ve seen in ourselves and others. That’s certainly the case here so, if you’ve got five or six of these qualities, you’re probably doing fine. But make no mistake. It’s a competitive world out there. If you want to make it, skip all the inspirational feel-good fluff and focus on what it takes to succeed -- in the real world.
http://www.inc.com/steve-tobak/10-traits-of-exceptional-bosses.html
12/6/12
7 Unusual Things Great Bosses Do
Where employees are concerned, great leaders don't take. Great leaders give--especially these seven things:
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
11/23/12
Make Results Matter More than Face Time
Every smart employer knows that results matter more than face
time. Judging employees chiefly on the number of hours they log in at
work is not only demoralizing but does little for company performance.
In fact, sixty-nine percent of employers report that supervisors at
their organizations are encouraged to assess employees' performance by
what they accomplish and not just by the hours they work.
This statistic — from the 2012 National Study of Employers conducted by Families and Work Institute (FWI) — indicates there is movement in the right direction. After all, it's obvious why employers encourage supervisors to focus on results. In this competitive, 24-7 economy stretches across the world's time zones, adhering to the notion that presence equals productivity is simply out of date.
But there are two problems: One, employees don't fully buy it. And two, many managers don't really know how to do it. About two in five workers think that if they focus on achieving results instead of punching the clock, their careers will suffer, according to FWI's Workplace Flexibility in the United States. Moreover, managers don't have the tools they need to accurately measure results.
So what can companies do to prove to skeptical employees that results really matter more than time worked and give managers the data they need? Here's what one company did.
Ryan, LLC - Getting rid of a sweatshop culture
Ryan, a global tax firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas, had a business problem. CEO G. Brint Ryan started the company in 1991, growing it from a two-person organization to a 1000-person one. He was proud of the business's track record, helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies solve complex tax problems. But in 2007, a disturbing trend developed. "We started experiencing a rapid loss of talent. And I'm not talking about just general talent — I'm talking about the stars," Ryan says.
He realized his firm had developed a "sweatshop reputation". People felt they were working long hours even if it wasn't necessary to get the job done. Ryan and his leadership team decided to experiment with re-focusing the company on results. He describes what they were aiming for:
Still he felt it was a bet they had to make. So they spent considerable time creating a system to support the new culture. The tool, called Success Measures, allows employees to easily track their own performance through an online dashboard that aggregates client service scores, revenues, leadership, core competencies and other firm-wide initiatives.
Each functional team has its own team page in the dashboard that displays the team's "scores" based on performance in key areas such as meeting financial goals and client service. Each employee's overall score in these key areas contributes to their team performance, similar to a baseball team's individual averages and statistics.
The employee's overall score is a weighted average of his or her scores in the areas of client service scores and financial goals (which account for 80% of the score), and firm-wide initiatives, leadership management and core competencies (20% of the score). Employees are only scored in categories that are relevant to their position.
This system worked. Since 2008, when the initial tool was introduced, voluntary turnover dropped from an average of 18.5% to less than 10%, compared with the industry average of 21%. At the same time, client service scores increased — 97% of clients rated them as good or excellent in the performance of their service.
"Probably the most remarkable statistic — the one that I think I would share if I had one thing to share with any CEO," says Ryan, "is this: in 2009, in arguably the worst economic conditions in my generation, we posted record profits and revenue. And then in 2010, we beat it again."
There are four things any company looking to change its culture of face time can learn from Ryan's experience:
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/make_results_matter_more_than.html
This statistic — from the 2012 National Study of Employers conducted by Families and Work Institute (FWI) — indicates there is movement in the right direction. After all, it's obvious why employers encourage supervisors to focus on results. In this competitive, 24-7 economy stretches across the world's time zones, adhering to the notion that presence equals productivity is simply out of date.
But there are two problems: One, employees don't fully buy it. And two, many managers don't really know how to do it. About two in five workers think that if they focus on achieving results instead of punching the clock, their careers will suffer, according to FWI's Workplace Flexibility in the United States. Moreover, managers don't have the tools they need to accurately measure results.
So what can companies do to prove to skeptical employees that results really matter more than time worked and give managers the data they need? Here's what one company did.
Ryan, LLC - Getting rid of a sweatshop culture
Ryan, a global tax firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas, had a business problem. CEO G. Brint Ryan started the company in 1991, growing it from a two-person organization to a 1000-person one. He was proud of the business's track record, helping Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies solve complex tax problems. But in 2007, a disturbing trend developed. "We started experiencing a rapid loss of talent. And I'm not talking about just general talent — I'm talking about the stars," Ryan says.
He realized his firm had developed a "sweatshop reputation". People felt they were working long hours even if it wasn't necessary to get the job done. Ryan and his leadership team decided to experiment with re-focusing the company on results. He describes what they were aiming for:
We wanted a results-based work environment where if you meet financial results and you meet client service scores, you can work whenever you want, wherever you want . . . work when you're most productive, when you're most engaged. And we'll change the culture so that what really matters are results.This was a radical change for the company. And required they rethink how they measure performance. Managers were skeptical. "The biggest concern was the fuzziness of flexibility. They simply didn't know how to manage teams when traditional boundaries were removed," says Delta Emerson, the company's executive vice president and chief of staff. Even Brint Ryan himself was concerned. He admits that he and his partners were "scared to death" the organization would fall apart.
Still he felt it was a bet they had to make. So they spent considerable time creating a system to support the new culture. The tool, called Success Measures, allows employees to easily track their own performance through an online dashboard that aggregates client service scores, revenues, leadership, core competencies and other firm-wide initiatives.
Each functional team has its own team page in the dashboard that displays the team's "scores" based on performance in key areas such as meeting financial goals and client service. Each employee's overall score in these key areas contributes to their team performance, similar to a baseball team's individual averages and statistics.
The employee's overall score is a weighted average of his or her scores in the areas of client service scores and financial goals (which account for 80% of the score), and firm-wide initiatives, leadership management and core competencies (20% of the score). Employees are only scored in categories that are relevant to their position.
This system worked. Since 2008, when the initial tool was introduced, voluntary turnover dropped from an average of 18.5% to less than 10%, compared with the industry average of 21%. At the same time, client service scores increased — 97% of clients rated them as good or excellent in the performance of their service.
"Probably the most remarkable statistic — the one that I think I would share if I had one thing to share with any CEO," says Ryan, "is this: in 2009, in arguably the worst economic conditions in my generation, we posted record profits and revenue. And then in 2010, we beat it again."
There are four things any company looking to change its culture of face time can learn from Ryan's experience:
- Base it on a real organizational need. In this case, it was the loss of top performers. Brint Ryan knew he had to do something to stop the turnover or the company would be in trouble.
- Create a way to measure individual and team performance. This is the crux of their success to date. As described above, instead of tracking hours spent at work, employees are held responsible for their performance.
- Don't adopt a results-focused initiative off the shelf. Although the company shopped around for programs that could plug and play, it settled on a customized approach, recognizing it needed something to fit its unique needs and culture.
- Fine-tune the process. In addition to employee surveys, Brint Ryan and Delta Emerson, hosted town hall meetings to hear directly from employees and gauge how the new system is working. After a town hall, leadership posted the problems employees raised on the company's intranet site along with action steps to resolve them.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/make_results_matter_more_than.html
11/20/12
5 Reasons Your Top Employee Isn't Happy
There has been a bit of a furore in recently as both Apple and
Microsoft let go key senior executives (Scott Forstall and Steve
Sinofsky, respectively) who were both categorized variously as
"abrasive," "difficult," and "arrogant."
In almost every popular account of the firings, the two executives have been painted as "out of control" and having lost the confidence of their peers--to the extent that in each case the CEO (Tim Cook at Apple, Steve Ballmer at Microsoft) had no choice but to reluctantly let them go. "More in sorrow than in anger," as a number of reports put it.
There's only one problem with this narrative. It's so one-sided as to be dangerously naive.
Look, no-one with any knowledge of the individuals concerned has demurred with the general perception of Steve Sinofsky and Scott Forstall as being prickly, arrogant and occasionally insufferable, but look at who they were working alongside: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. None of those men could be described as shrinking violets.
Nor is it the case that these two executives were Johnny-come-lately's who didn't "fit in." Sinofsky joined Microsoft as a software design engineer in 1989 (24 years ago!), and Scott Forstall came over from NeXT when it was purchased by Apple in 1997. Both had a sterling track record of innovation and execution that ran parallel with their occasional bouts of petulance.
In my experience, this isn't a case of time running out for two people who had it coming. It's clear that both Sinofsky and Forstall had in the past found ways to manage their outbursts that kept them within (barely) acceptable boundaries, but that each found the environment within which they were working becoming increasingly intolerable.
In other words, Cook and Ballmer allowed changes to happen in the culture at Apple and Microsoft that eventually pushed their "jerk over-achievers" to blow.
It happens all the time. A free-wheeling, autocratically-managed company has room for (frequently maddening) visionary mavericks, until, one day, it doesn't. Unfortunately, from that point on the organization is in Treadmill, and headed toward irrelevance.
Here are the top five reasons high-performing maverick employees go ballistic, how to spot them, and what to do about it:
1. Inconsistent / Frequently Changing Priorities
Why It's a Problem: Nothing irritates a top performer more than, ditch to ditch or fad-based management.
How to Spot It: Employees hunkering down every time a new initiative is introduced--glazing over at strategy meetings.
What to Do About It: Set a short-, medium-, and long-term strategy and stick to them for a reasonable period without being distracted by the newest new thing.
2. Condoning Mediocrity
Why It's a Problem: The #1 reason high performers leave organizations in which they are otherwise happy is because of the tolerance of mediocrity.
How to Spot It: Disdain and distance between top performers and others who are not pulling their weight. Dissatisfaction with rewards (compensation, bonuses, awards, etc) given to others.
What to Do About It: Set high goals for the entire organization, and build in both rewards (for success) and consequences (for failure). Apply both consistently and fairly.
3. Round Peg / Square Hole Syndrome
Why It's a Problem: High performers like to do what they're good at ‚ not be used as a a stop gap in some other way. They view themselves as Ferraris, and get frustrated if they think they are being used as a golf cart.
How to Spot It: Disengagement from their allocated tasks and responsibilities. Lack of follow-up and accountability. General mopiness.
What to Do About It: Review (with them) what you want this person to do. Freshen up job descriptions and re-orientate top performers to tasks that only they can do.
4. Underutilization
Why It's a Problem: Same as above: when you're a Ferrari (or think you are) you don't want to spend your time idling at the curb.
How to Spot It: Freelancing in areas that aren't their responsibility. Getting under everyone's feet. Going rogue.
What to Do About It: Have the employee produce a list of what they could/should be doing to occupy free time. Review and agree on utilization. Look at your own delegation skills--if you have an underutilized top performer, it's a sure sign you're a micro-manager who has problems delegating.
5. Playing Favorites
Why It's a Problem: Top performers not only believe in a meritocracy. It's their air and water. Start playing favorites and bypassing people despite their results, and your top performers will be out of there before you can say, "Holy second cousin."
How to Spot It: Your sister Sarah's son Jimmy seems much happier than your best sales person.
What to Do About It: If you need to be told, you shouldn't be managing people.
http://www.inc.com/les-mckeown/5-reasons-your-employee-is-unhappy.html
In almost every popular account of the firings, the two executives have been painted as "out of control" and having lost the confidence of their peers--to the extent that in each case the CEO (Tim Cook at Apple, Steve Ballmer at Microsoft) had no choice but to reluctantly let them go. "More in sorrow than in anger," as a number of reports put it.
There's only one problem with this narrative. It's so one-sided as to be dangerously naive.
Look, no-one with any knowledge of the individuals concerned has demurred with the general perception of Steve Sinofsky and Scott Forstall as being prickly, arrogant and occasionally insufferable, but look at who they were working alongside: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. None of those men could be described as shrinking violets.
Nor is it the case that these two executives were Johnny-come-lately's who didn't "fit in." Sinofsky joined Microsoft as a software design engineer in 1989 (24 years ago!), and Scott Forstall came over from NeXT when it was purchased by Apple in 1997. Both had a sterling track record of innovation and execution that ran parallel with their occasional bouts of petulance.
In my experience, this isn't a case of time running out for two people who had it coming. It's clear that both Sinofsky and Forstall had in the past found ways to manage their outbursts that kept them within (barely) acceptable boundaries, but that each found the environment within which they were working becoming increasingly intolerable.
In other words, Cook and Ballmer allowed changes to happen in the culture at Apple and Microsoft that eventually pushed their "jerk over-achievers" to blow.
It happens all the time. A free-wheeling, autocratically-managed company has room for (frequently maddening) visionary mavericks, until, one day, it doesn't. Unfortunately, from that point on the organization is in Treadmill, and headed toward irrelevance.
Here are the top five reasons high-performing maverick employees go ballistic, how to spot them, and what to do about it:
1. Inconsistent / Frequently Changing Priorities
Why It's a Problem: Nothing irritates a top performer more than, ditch to ditch or fad-based management.
How to Spot It: Employees hunkering down every time a new initiative is introduced--glazing over at strategy meetings.
What to Do About It: Set a short-, medium-, and long-term strategy and stick to them for a reasonable period without being distracted by the newest new thing.
2. Condoning Mediocrity
Why It's a Problem: The #1 reason high performers leave organizations in which they are otherwise happy is because of the tolerance of mediocrity.
How to Spot It: Disdain and distance between top performers and others who are not pulling their weight. Dissatisfaction with rewards (compensation, bonuses, awards, etc) given to others.
What to Do About It: Set high goals for the entire organization, and build in both rewards (for success) and consequences (for failure). Apply both consistently and fairly.
3. Round Peg / Square Hole Syndrome
Why It's a Problem: High performers like to do what they're good at ‚ not be used as a a stop gap in some other way. They view themselves as Ferraris, and get frustrated if they think they are being used as a golf cart.
How to Spot It: Disengagement from their allocated tasks and responsibilities. Lack of follow-up and accountability. General mopiness.
What to Do About It: Review (with them) what you want this person to do. Freshen up job descriptions and re-orientate top performers to tasks that only they can do.
4. Underutilization
Why It's a Problem: Same as above: when you're a Ferrari (or think you are) you don't want to spend your time idling at the curb.
How to Spot It: Freelancing in areas that aren't their responsibility. Getting under everyone's feet. Going rogue.
What to Do About It: Have the employee produce a list of what they could/should be doing to occupy free time. Review and agree on utilization. Look at your own delegation skills--if you have an underutilized top performer, it's a sure sign you're a micro-manager who has problems delegating.
5. Playing Favorites
Why It's a Problem: Top performers not only believe in a meritocracy. It's their air and water. Start playing favorites and bypassing people despite their results, and your top performers will be out of there before you can say, "Holy second cousin."
How to Spot It: Your sister Sarah's son Jimmy seems much happier than your best sales person.
What to Do About It: If you need to be told, you shouldn't be managing people.
http://www.inc.com/les-mckeown/5-reasons-your-employee-is-unhappy.html
How to Criticize Employees: 6 Rules
Even if you're an experienced executive, it's likely you often find
it very difficult to tell other people where they need to improve.
Praising a good performance is easy; everyone likes to receive a
compliment. But what do you do when a kick in the butt seems more
appropriate than a pat on the back? Here's how to do this effectively:
1. Treat criticism as a form of feedback.
The term "criticism," while accurate, carries the baggage of negativity. By contrast, the term "feedback" implies the participation of both parties--a two-way give-and-take where both people learn and grow. Feedback is an opportunity for mutual growth. You learn by getting feedback, and you learn by giving feedback. The moment you reposition your criticism into the context of feedback, both you and your employee will feel more relaxed and receptive.
2. Provide criticism on an ongoing basis.
Many bosses delay criticism until an employee's yearly performance review. That's ineffective because the employee will be so concerned with money issues that he or she won't be able to concentrate on personal growth. Remember: reviews are about salaries; criticism (i.e. feedback) is about developing the employee. This entails paying attention to the employee's behavior, stepping into the employee's shoes, appreciating his or her experience, and helping to move that employee into a learning mode.
3. Dole out criticism in small doses.
If you stockpile problems, waiting for the "right moment" to bring them up, chances are the employee will simply be overwhelmed. Criticism is best given real-time or immediately after the fact. Don't wait until problem fester. The very best time to provide criticism is whenever somebody is making positive progress but there's still room for improvement. Rule of thumb: balance out every criticism with seven honest compliments.
4. Begin by asking questions.
Your goal is not (or should not be) to convince employees to do things the way that YOU would do them. Instead, dig deeper and find the roots of the specific problem. Ask questions, like: "Why do you approach this situation in this way?", "How could we have done better?" and "What do you think could use improvement?" Such questions lead employees to discover their own solutions and their own insights.
5. Listen, acknowledge and learn.
You may think that you understand what's going on and why something happened, but you might easily be wrong. When you listen to an employees and acknowledge what he or she has to say, you learn about the world from that employee's point of view. That in turn gives you more understanding of the employee's motivations and desires, which in turn helps you to better understand how to help them change their behavior.
6. Address the behavior not the person.
Never say something like "You're unreliable! You've been late three times this week !" Instead, address the behavior that's troubling, like so: "You're usually punctual, but this week you've been late three times. What's up?" Similarly, when you want to change a behavior don't address it as a personality issue. Asking "What can you do to become more reliable?" is a dead end. What's more likely to work is something like: "What can you do to ensure you'll be on time more often?"
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/how-to-criticize-employees-6-rules.html
1. Treat criticism as a form of feedback.
The term "criticism," while accurate, carries the baggage of negativity. By contrast, the term "feedback" implies the participation of both parties--a two-way give-and-take where both people learn and grow. Feedback is an opportunity for mutual growth. You learn by getting feedback, and you learn by giving feedback. The moment you reposition your criticism into the context of feedback, both you and your employee will feel more relaxed and receptive.
2. Provide criticism on an ongoing basis.
Many bosses delay criticism until an employee's yearly performance review. That's ineffective because the employee will be so concerned with money issues that he or she won't be able to concentrate on personal growth. Remember: reviews are about salaries; criticism (i.e. feedback) is about developing the employee. This entails paying attention to the employee's behavior, stepping into the employee's shoes, appreciating his or her experience, and helping to move that employee into a learning mode.
3. Dole out criticism in small doses.
If you stockpile problems, waiting for the "right moment" to bring them up, chances are the employee will simply be overwhelmed. Criticism is best given real-time or immediately after the fact. Don't wait until problem fester. The very best time to provide criticism is whenever somebody is making positive progress but there's still room for improvement. Rule of thumb: balance out every criticism with seven honest compliments.
4. Begin by asking questions.
Your goal is not (or should not be) to convince employees to do things the way that YOU would do them. Instead, dig deeper and find the roots of the specific problem. Ask questions, like: "Why do you approach this situation in this way?", "How could we have done better?" and "What do you think could use improvement?" Such questions lead employees to discover their own solutions and their own insights.
5. Listen, acknowledge and learn.
You may think that you understand what's going on and why something happened, but you might easily be wrong. When you listen to an employees and acknowledge what he or she has to say, you learn about the world from that employee's point of view. That in turn gives you more understanding of the employee's motivations and desires, which in turn helps you to better understand how to help them change their behavior.
6. Address the behavior not the person.
Never say something like "You're unreliable! You've been late three times this week !" Instead, address the behavior that's troubling, like so: "You're usually punctual, but this week you've been late three times. What's up?" Similarly, when you want to change a behavior don't address it as a personality issue. Asking "What can you do to become more reliable?" is a dead end. What's more likely to work is something like: "What can you do to ensure you'll be on time more often?"
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/how-to-criticize-employees-6-rules.html
11/14/12
7 Unusual Things Great Bosses Do
Where employees are concerned, great leaders don't take. Great leaders give--especially these seven things:
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
They give a glimpse of vulnerability.
To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)
That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.
But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.
Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.
How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.
By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.
And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
It's a sign of strength.
They give a nudge.
From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.
When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.
They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.
They give unexpected attention.
Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.
So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.
Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.
Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.
They give employees a break.
He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.
Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.
Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.
They give a peek inside.
My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.
My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.
We were in it together.
It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.
They give an undeserved compliment.
Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.
That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."
He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.
He believed in me.
And I started to believe in myself.
They give a hat rack.
Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.
They're vulnerable because they need.
Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.
Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html
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